Remembrance and action mark this Yom Hashoah for CRRF

Toronto, April 24, 2017 -- Yom HaShoah is observed in Canada and around the world on this day each year according to the Jewish calendar as a memorial to the six million Jewish people who were slaughtered by the Nazi regime as part of its genocidal "Final Solution" carried out between 1933 and 1945.

"The recently released documents from the the United Nations War Crimes Commission (UNWCC) now available at the Wiener Library for the Study of Holocaust and Genocide reveal that Western nations allied against the Nazi regime knew about the atrocities being committed but failed to follow through on earlier efforts to stop Hitler,” commented Albert Lo, Chairperson of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. “That the failure of a timely response was a factor in the death of 6 million Jewish lives alone, including 1.5 million children and the suffering of many others, is a lesson that must be remembered. The salient call of ‘Never Again’ not only reminds us of the crucial duty to act in the face of hatred, but that we must also redouble our efforts to combat the evil of racism and racial discrimination in all its forms in our society.”

Anita Bromberg, Executive Director of the CRRF added "The release of such documentation of Holocaust atrocities further discredits Holocaust denial. The full name of this day is Yom Hashoah Ve-Hagevurah, which means the "Day of remembrance of the Holocaust and the Heroism". Coming 72 years after the ending of the war, the voice of the survivors is sadly fading. Despite the clear record of government based persecution against its own people and those it later conquered, hatred against the Jewish people survives all too often in the form of Holocaust Denial today. Let us pause to honor the voice of the survivors who continue to speak out and to renew our resolve to counter hatred, in all its forms."

The Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) is a Crown Corporation dedicated to working towards the elimination of racism and all forms of racial discrimination. Its mission is to advance Canadian identity in the pursuit of positive race relations, equity, fairness, social harmony and dignity for all Canadians. The CRRF does this by providing independent, outspoken national leadership, informing national policies and public conversation, and acting as a resource and facilitator.